Saturday, November 21, 2009

All About the Burn

I am happy to say that I have finally begun to shed some pounds. Fifteen pounds as of this week, actually. This is very motivating to me, and makes me want to step it up even more. Thus....this post. I found this on one of my fav. blogs, fitsugar, and had to share it's simple, but effective message. :)

If you're trying to lose weight, cardio is your best friend. Workouts that get your heart rate up, such as running, biking, and using a cardio machine, are the best way to burn calories and reduce your percentage of body fat. Another fact to point out is that the faster you move, the more calories you'll burn. I'm not suggesting that you have to sprint through your entire workout - increasing your pace even a small amount will make a difference. Here are two ways to increase your speed when doing cardio.

Increase your overall pace just sightly. Running at a pace of 5 mph (12-minute miles) burns 263 calories in 30 minutes. If you run a bit faster at 6 mph (10 minutes per mile), you'll burn 292 calories. It may not seem like a big difference, but if you run five times a week, you'll burn an extra 145 calories.

Increasing your speed when doing cardio won't take a lot more energy, but it'll sure make a difference to your body. You'll burn more calories, which translates to a slimmer, more defined frame. It will also help with your endurance, and make you stronger.

I'm just a girl who loves Jesus and cool stuff. I also happen to be a mother of two fantastic boys,and a wife to one amazing husband. I stay crazy busy being a full time teacher, a Jewel Kade stylist, and obsessed with creating new things. My family has made our world here in Chattanooga, and are trying to live out our dreams. Mine involve cooking/baking, all things crafty, arty, planty, and fashiony.This blog is a my way of holding myself accountable creatively. I'll do my best.